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NR-MAR-01-09
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May 28, 2001
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Renamed Coast Guard Lifeboat Commissioned In Saint John
Dartmouth N.S. - John Adams, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard, on behalf of
Herb Dhaliwal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today officially commissioned the Canadian
Coast Guard Cutter CCGC Courtenay Bay at a ceremony in Saint John, N.B.
The former CCGC Spume was renamed to build stronger ties to the community in which
it is now based.
The presence of the cutter Courtenay Bay in Saint John has greatly improved our
search and rescue capability in the Bay of Fundy, said Mr. Dhaliwal. Search and rescue
is a core activity of the Canadian Coast Guard and a priority of the Government of Canada.
I'm extremely pleased to commission the Courtenay Bay today, knowing the important
contribution it makes to the safety of mariners on the Bay of Fundy, said Mr. Adams.
The selection of CCGC Courtenay Bay as the new name for the lifeboat followed a
naming contest held by the HMCS Rodney Royal Canadian Sea Cadets. Proposals had to meet
certain criteria, including identifying prominent local landmarks such as bays or points
of land. Three names were shortlisted and reviewed by Coast Guard officials to determine
if the names were available for use.
Funding for the new lifeboat station for Saint John is part of a $115.5 million investment
by the Government of Canada in the DFO maritime search and rescue program announced in
July, 2000. The investment will establish 8 new lifeboats and lifeboat stations across Canada,
including two in the Maritimes. The decision to locate one of these two stations in Saint-John
was announced by the Honourable Claudette Bradshaw last summer and the vessel became operational
in December. To date, it has responded to ten search and rescue incidents.
The selection of Saint John as the site of the new lifeboat station followed an extensive
review process. A similar selection process is currently underway to identify the location
of an additional lifeboat station site for the Maritimes region to serve the Northumberland
Strait area.
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For information:
David R. Jennings
Communications Manager
Canadian Coast Guard, Maritimes Region
Dartmouth, N.S. (902) 426-3555
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